Shopping 101
Beginner's Luck: Part Two
By Jessica Brandon, B.S. (Bachelorette of Spending)
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six
Greetings, girlfriends! Ahh, spring, such a glorious time of the year! The sun is shining, the skies are blue, the birds are singing and, more importantly -- winter is dead, deceased, demised, departed, toe tagged, croaked, taken out, pushing up daisies, six feet under, kicked the bucket, bought the farm, gave up the ghost, cashed in it's chips... Well, you get the point. Now the world can come alive and no one will complain about the weather! At least not until summer rolls around!
As you'll recall, last month I began a multi-part series on shopping and building a wardrobe for the beginning crossdresser, something we all were once upon a time. In part one, I talked about how to take your measurements in order to determine your dress size, how to buy clothes if you're six feet or taller, along with shopping by mail order for the more timid among us, the "Three A's" for shopping en femme and, lastly, what your basic wardrobe should consist of, not to mention the colors and fabrics you should consider. Now, ladies, we go into more depth
Where to shop for the basic wardrobe? The choices are practically legion. As always, department stores are your best bet because of the large selection and variety. But, if you're a frugal shopper like I am, target your local outlet mall. Here in the Philadelphia area, we have Franklin Mills, one of the largest outlet malls on the east coast with shops and stores to satisfy your every need: clothes, shoes, coats, lingerie, hosiery, cosmetics, jewelry, etc... You name it, chances are pretty damn good you can find it there.
The latest craze in the shopping game is the Internet. For those of you online, the Web provides virtually an unlimited resource for your shopping needs and desires. Just about every big name department store and major clothing designer you can think of has a site on the web where you can go and shop to your heart's content, and the best part is that virtual storefronts are open 24/7, 365 days a year. And, for peace of mind, ordering over the web with your credit card is safe. Shopping sites are fully encrypted to prevent theft of one's card number
Now, once you've built your basic wardrobe, then you can expand it. For instance, you might want to invest in an evening gown as every girl should own at least ONE gown in her transgendered life for a formal function along with a faux fur to go with it in the winter. Speaking of winter, don't forget a good pair of leather gloves to protect your hands and perhaps a scarf as well. For casual attire, shorts in summer are a must, followed by leggings and/or stirrup pants. Add a fashionable windbreaker for fall and a sleek black leather jacket for colder weather
Now we come to my favorite topic, shoes. The basic wardrobe, as defined by JoAnn Roberts, includes two pairs of shoes, as far as I'm concerned, at least one pair should be, no, OUGHT to be black leather pumps. I've found that you can wear black leather pumps (BLP's) with just about anything, be it dresses, suits, pants or tight jeans. In my view, there's a certain allure to BLP's, especially when paired with a LBD (little black dress) which makes for a lethal combination. BLP's are tasteful, uncomplicated and supremely stylish
Next, it wouldn't hurt to have a pair or two of loafers. Although I hate to wear flats when dressed (however, I wear them while in my boy guise), they're good to have for casual wear. Also, it's a sign of maturity when a crossdresser can wear flats in public like any other woman without suffering from what I call "High Heel Withdrawal." To expand on the footwear theme, you can't go wrong with black patent or black satin pumps for evening activities. As attractive as BLP's are, BPP's or BSP's are a staple for evening wear or special occasions
As for heel heights, that depends on how tall you are, how well you pass and how much attention you want to attract. Despite being six foot two, I've been out and about in four-inch stilettos which can make me quite a towering presence. Usually, I never wear more than three-inch heels when out in public which I'm most comfortable in. If you're under six feet, the sky's pretty much the limit, but be sensible as walking around in four-inchers can get to be rather painful after a while. Oh, and don't forget to break in new shoes before wearing them for extended periods
To further expand your footwear, you gotta have boots. Boots are essential for wintertime wear, go well with long skirts and can make your legs sizzle when you've got stirrup pants or tight jeans tucked in them. You should have one pair of flat boots for regular wear and one pair of high heeled boots to dress up an outfit. There are many styles of boots to choose from, ankle high to thigh high, pull on, lace up or zip up, and they come in all sorts of materials from plain leather, to suede, to patent leather and even, heaven help us, vinyl, straight out of the 60's which looks to be making a comeback
Well, that's all for now. In Part Three, I'll discuss undergarments and accessories. In the meantime, if you have any comments, tips or opinions, send them to me at treetop@voicenet.com. Until next month, shop not just with your heart, but with your head!
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